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Stafford MSD holds required special‑education public hearing as enrollments rise
Summary
District staff reported an increase in students receiving special education services to 378 (10.6% of enrollment) and detailed program placements, TEA monitoring results and supports; the board asked about staffing, evaluations, and impacts from education‑savings policies.
The Stafford Municipal School Board opened its June 8 public hearing on special education, a state requirement, and heard a presentation from the district’s special‑education team about enrollment, services and monitoring results. "As of May, 2026, we are at 378 students with disabilities, which puts us at 10.6 percent of students with disabilities in the district," said Miss Punch, the district presenter.
Punch walked trustees through the district’s primary‑disability counts and service continuum, saying specific learning disabilities were the largest single category (about 163 students, roughly 43% of those identified) and noting approximately 100 students currently identified with dyslexia. She described placement types — inclusive/mainstream with accommodations, pull‑out resource services, and self‑contained classrooms — and listed related services such as speech, occupational and physical therapy, and deaf/hard‑of‑hearing supports. On state compliance, Punch said the district was 100% compliant on several State Performance Plan indicators and had completed TEA cyclical monitoring (January–March), while the agency identified areas for growth in evaluation timelines, IEP development and transition planning.
Trustees pressed for operational details. Trustee Wilkins asked whether staffing kept pace with rising identifications; Punch said the district reviews staff counts and minutes of service annually and uses screening and MTSS referrals to trigger evaluations. Superintendent Dr. Stevens flagged a policy effect: "we now know with education savings accounts, students that bring a special education label access funds at a higher tier," he said, explaining that increased parent‑requested evaluations — including some for students zoned to Stafford but attending other schools — have placed additional demands on evaluation teams. The administration agreed to provide the board with a breakdown of referrals and evaluations (e.g., how many requests are for zoned students not attending Stafford).
The public hearing was opened for comment and, with no speakers, closed. The hearing record included the TEA monitoring summary and staff commitments to supply requested breakout data and to continue targeted training for teachers and specialists over the summer.
Next steps: the district indicated final STAR accountability data will be reviewed in the fall and that staff will continue to report on evaluation volumes, staffing needs and implementation of TEA recommendations.
